Some people in Donegal seem to be torn between where they were and where they are going. For Michael Murphy it’s not about the Donegal of 2012, it’s all about the Donegal of the here and now, and nothing else beyond that.

That’s because going into Sunday’s Ulster football final against Monaghan there can’t be any looking back, especially not to last year: then, as All-Ireland champions, looking to win a third Ulster title in succession, Donegal were taken out by Monaghan, convincingly beaten by six points, and with that their whole summer went belly up.

Continuing evolution

Since then most people have been wondering if or when Donegal can get back to their 2012 form – and whether or not 2013 was some sort of temporary blip. Murphy points to the continuing evolution of football, and that it would be foolish of Donegal not to continue to evolve with it.

“Things are always evolving,” he says, “different styles of management and style of play. Even within seasons it’s evolving, game-on-game even. But from now on, the championship is dwindling, there are medals at stake, and the teams are really bringing their best, whether it’s Ulster or Leinster or All-Ireland, and every performance has to be a big one.”

Sunday’s showdown sees Monaghan looking to secure their first back-to-back Ulster titles since 1929-’30. Donegal are looking to win their third in four years, and Murphy doesn’t entirely deny that last year’s defeat is still digging around Donegal’s memories somewhere.

“We try to park it, and forget it. Of course it will be there as some bit of motivation. Like against Antrim, the last day, there were still snippets to bring through as motivation. It’s always a massive proposition, heading into the Ulster final, and both teams will see it as a fantastic opportunity to win an Ulster championship.

“It would have been nice to win three-in-a-row, last year, although you’re not thinking of that. You’re just engrossed in the one. And a lot is made of losing provincial finalists, trying to turn things around. But when you go into a final, nothing comes into your head about a back door.

“So you’re not worried about playing football the next week and it comes as a bit of shock, having been beaten, trying to get over the line.”

Murphy points to several crucial differences to last year, and indeed 2012: “We’ve a clean bill of health which is a different experience from last year. We were very mixed, bodies coming in and out of training. This year it’s been brilliant, the gradual process of having so many bodies pushing things on. It’s a positive but we need to translate that on to the pitch.”

Monaghan’s own confidence is on something of a high, as is their winning record in Clones, and Murphy agrees that both teams now carry a healthy respect for each other.

Confidence

“I wouldn’t say last year was an ambush. We’ve played them underage all the way up, and in senior they’ve had the upper hand some days. And initially, we were both trying to get over the line, in Ulster, for so many years. A lot of supporters followed both teams and there’s a burden there which is replaced by a confidence.

“But we’d have our own confidence as well. That’s the way it’s been this year, mainly the confidence that the bodies you have around you being comfortable with, young guys like Odhran MacNiallais, Darach O’Connor and Ryan McHugh. They’ve really invigorated things, and stepped up to the plate. All year that has given us an air of confidence, but again it’s all about relaying that to the pitch.”